Washington DC Sports Betting: Legal DC Sportsbooks & Legislation Updates
DC sports betting is live. You can book your action at any of five online sportsbooks while in Washington, DC.
FanDuel, Fanatics, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, and now bet365 Sportsbook are all available district-wide, all offering weekly promotions and welcome bonuses. Retail betting is also available at some locally owned establishments.
Here’s everything that’s happening with DC sports betting.
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DC sportsbook apps in 2026
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What’s happening in DC sports betting right now
- Sept. 8, 2026 — bet365 Sportsbook launched in DC, its 19th US market and the sixth online sports wagering site in the district. The launch came with a partnership with Monumental Sports & Entertainment, making bet365 an official betting partner of the Wizards, Capitals, and Mystics, with branding at Capital One Arena and a live odds feature called “Monumental Game Center.”
- May 5, 2026 — The DC Council held a hearing to discuss Councilmember Wendell Felder’s Internet Gaming and Consumer Protection Act bill, which would legalize iGaming in DC while banning unlicensed sweepstakes-style platforms. Caesars, DraftKings, and BetMGM testified in support of the legislation, while Stop Predatory Gambling opposed it. At present, the bill remains stuck in the Committee on Human Services with no vote scheduled.
- Feb. 23, 2026 — theScore Bet Sportsbook ceased operations and exited the DC market. After rebranding from ESPN Bet in Dec. 2025, the site failed to gather momentum in the district, and PENN Entertainment chose to withdraw it.
Washington, DC, sports betting sites
The history of online sports betting in Washington, DC, has been unique and imperfect.
Initially, specific restrictions and limitations designated by DC sports betting law made entering the market a tricky proposition for most online sportsbooks. From 2020 to 2024, GambetDC was the sportsbook app owned and operated by the DC Lottery. DC Lottery provider Intralot won a no-bid contract to provide the app’s platform and operations after a process that drew claims of corruption, bribery, and cronyism. GambetDC’s design and operation were the subject of tremendous disparagement and frustration for its owners and the public.
In March 2024, the DC Lottery announced that FanDuel would replace GambetDC as the sportsbook available throughout the district. From there, the market was allowed to open up further to other private operators. At present, six active online sportsbooks are available in DC, all offering sportsbook promos to bettors in the district. Below is a quick rundown of all six.
BetMGM Sportsbook DC
BetMGM Sportsbook operates in Washington, DC, through a partnership with the Washington Nationals. BetMGM offers frequent promotions and boosts to existing users, and bettors can accumulate BetMGM Rewards Points as they wager to earn further benefits. Use BetMGM Sportsbook bonus code OMNILSR when signing up to receive up to $1,550 in bonuses.
Fanatics Sportsbook DC
Fanatics Sportsbook went live in DC in September 2024. The retail giant’s sportsbook app enters the District through a partnership with the Washington Spirit, DC’s National Women’s Soccer League team. Enter Fanatics Sportsbook promo code BONUSLSR when registering and be eligible to receive up to $1,000 in FanCash Matched Bets.
DraftKings Sportsbook DC
DraftKings Sportsbook went live in DC in July 2024, bringing one of the country’s largest sports wagering platforms to the district. DraftKings partners with DC United, the city’s MLS franchise. New users don’t need a DraftKings promo code when signing up to receive the welcome offer, which potentially adds up to $1,200 in bonuses.
FanDuel Sportsbook DC
FanDuel Sportsbook launched in the district in April 2024, partnering with the DC Office of Lottery and Gaming. Bettors who visit FanDuel will find one of the smoothest and easiest navigation experiences in sports betting, and you can even watch select games live through the app to keep tabs on your open wagers or place new in-play ones.
bet365 Sportsbook DC
bet365 Sportsbook is the newest site in the district, launching just before the start of the 2026 NFL season. The operator gained market access through a partnership with Monumental Sports & Entertainment, becoming an official betting partner of the Wizards, Capitals, and Mystics, with in-arena branding at Capital One Arena.
Caesars Sportsbook DC
Caesars Sportsbook also operates in DC through a partnership with Monumental Sports and Entertainment, the ownership group for Capital One Arena. With Caesars, bettors have a solid app with depth of experience and options, and can participate in the Caesars Rewards loyalty program.
Legal sports betting basics in DC
With the district’s new budget in effect, upwards of seven sports betting apps can provide betting options from anywhere in Washington to anyone over the age of 18 with an internet-connected device.
Retail sports betting locations in DC
DC sports betting law allows for three classes of licenses.
Class A is designated for the four sports team venues located within the city. Class B has a much broader reach and is available for any business in the district, so long as it is not simply a sportsbook. Naturally, bars and restaurants are good possibilities for sports betting. Class B licensees cannot operate within two blocks of a Class A facility. Class C was created with the approval of the district’s new budget in July 2024. Class C licenses allow sports franchises in the DC area to partner with sportsbooks and offer online sports betting.
In practice, there haven’t been nearly as many locations approved for service. Not every Class A location has a sportsbook, and only a few Class B locations are in operation. Here are the four ways you can currently place bets in person in Washington, DC.
- Capital One Arena — Open. The Caesars by William Hill Sportsbook opened its doors in May 2021. The sportsbook is 18,000 square feet and has 17 betting windows and 12 betting kiosks. Although the Wizards or Capitals will not be playing every day, the book is accessible daily via the entrance on F Street.
- Over Under Sportsbook Rooftop Lounge (located above the Cloakroom Gentlemen’s Club) — Open. Cloakroom received a Class B license to offer on-site sports betting to its patrons in late 2022 and opened in early 2023.
- Grand Central Sportsbook & Cafe — Open. Grand Central became the first Class B licensee to open for business in the district when it cut the ribbon in October 2021. Since the sportsbook’s operations are restricted to the restaurant’s premises, its footprint is much smaller than a commercial sportsbook. In partnership with Elys Game Technologies, the restaurant has kiosks and a staffed teller window for betting.
- Grand Central Sportsbook on H Street — Open. Elys Game Technology expanded its presence in the DC sports betting scene by opening a third in-person location in the district in early 2024. The Grand Central Sportsbook is located at 625D H Street NE.
Two other retail locations have since closed. FanDuel’s sportsbook at Audi Field, home of DC United, shut down in February 2025 after nearly three years in operation, with no replacement announced. BetMGM’s sportsbook at Nationals Park stopped taking bets in September 2025 following a decline in Nationals attendance, though BetMGM’s online app remains active in DC.
How to bet on sports in Washington, DC
If you live in or plan to visit Washington, DC, and would like to try out one of the district’s sportsbook apps, here’s what you need to do to get started.
- Download and install. The best way to download a DC sportsbook app is to click one of the links above to claim any bonus offers. Make sure to note any bonus codes, then proceed to the app download page itself.
- Register for an account. The registration screen(s) will ask you for various pieces of personal information, like your legal name, email address, Social Security number, and date of birth. Make sure to enter any bonus codes accurately and exactly, as they are both case-sensitive and typo-sensitive.
- Fund your account. Every sportsbook offers several banking options, including e-checks, PayPal, credit cards, and prepaid cards. Choose the one that works best for your personal situation.
DC sports betting law
The format of the sports betting law in Washington, DC, is like no other in the US. The lack of gambling locations within the district posed a particular issue for the district council to resolve. Councilmembers also endeavored to produce a system that would protect the city’s market access (via the DC Lottery) from outside competition as much as possible. At first, just one sports betting app (GambetDC) was available district-wide, while other apps were limited to specific geographic locations in the city. Caesars was only available in and around Capital One Arena, and BetMGM was only available within a few blocks of Nationals Park.
The DC Lottery served as both the industry regulator and the only provider permitted to offer online sports betting citywide. That changed in 2024 when FanDuel took over from GambetDC as the only sports betting app available throughout the district, and again when sports betting expanded with a new budget in July 2024.
Here is a deeper look at the three-class system now in place in DC:
Class A makes four major sports venues eligible to host sports betting on their premises and partner with qualified companies to offer branded apps. FanDuel (Audi Field), Caesars (Capital One Arena), and BetMGM (Nationals Park) are all Class A license holders through their existing deals. Here are the four eligible stadiums:
- Audi Field (home of DC United)
- Capital One Arena (home of the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals)
- St. Elizabeth’s East Entertainment and Sports Arena (home of the Washington Mystics)
- Nationals Park (home of the Washington Nationals)
Under the new system, Class A license holders will pay 20% of their gaming revenue in tax to the city.
The law also calls for the issuance of Class B licenses to bars, restaurants, and taverns throughout the district. A Class B license has a lower fee but also restricts online sports betting services to the establishment’s premises.
Class C licenses allow sports teams in the district to partner with online sports betting providers and offer betting across the city. DC United, for example, partnered with DraftKings to facilitate the sportsbook’s launch.
Each online sportsbook applying for a license will have to meet these conditions:
- Prove that a DC-area team has subcontracted the sports betting site.
- Prove that the company is licensed and operating a sportsbook in at least five US jurisdictions.
- Pay 30% of the company’s gross gaming revenue to the city.
- Pay a nonrefundable $2 million application fee for the five-year license.
- Pay a $1 million renewal fee upon expiration of the license following the first term.
DC sports betting restrictions
DC sports betting law is rather prohibitive for amateur and college sporting events. The law restricts bettors from placing bets on colleges located within the city limits of Washington, DC, or on college events that occur within the district. There are also prohibitions on events that involve a majority of participants who are under 18.
How DC sports betting compares to Virginia and Maryland
Washington, DC, does not offer sports betting in a vacuum. The two states surrounding the district, Maryland and Virginia, allow sports betting throughout their borders. Let’s take a look at how DC sports betting stacks up to the sports betting happening nearby.
Market eligibility and openness
DC and Virginia are somewhat similar in terms of which types of businesses can offer sports betting. They give priority to the professional sports teams that reside within their borders. This priority stems from the fact that neither DC nor Virginia had many dedicated gambling locations when they launched sports betting.
Maryland, on the other hand, is home to six casinos and an active jockey club that owns two prominent horse racing facilities. Maryland also has several pro sports teams of its own and allotments for them. A few casinos have since opened in Virginia, and each location also has a sports betting license. Both DC and Maryland have provisions allowing non-gambling establishments to operate on-site sponsorships, but DC stands alone in having no caps on those licenses. In theory, there could be thousands of DC sportsbooks under the law.
Betting restrictions
Where many variations occur is in whether legislators and regulators seek to limit or prohibit wagering on college sports.
Neither DC nor Virginia permits betting on colleges and universities located within their city limits or state lines, respectively. The location of the game is irrelevant. If it involves one of the native collegiate teams, it is off-limits. DC takes the prohibition a step further by banning wagers on college events within the district, regardless of the participants involved. Virginia has no such restriction on games within state lines, but does not permit live betting on college games whatsoever, regardless of which teams are involved.
Maryland does not have any such restrictions written into its sports betting law. In the Old Line State, you can bet on the University of Maryland, the United States Naval Academy, or any other homegrown college team that you like. Neither Virginia nor Maryland allows college prop bets.
Most popular sports to bet on in DC
Even though the district has a fairly small geographic footprint, there are plenty of big-name sports teams that call Washington, DC, home. Here are some of the most popular sports and teams to bet on in the nation’s capital.
- Washington Commanders (NFL): FedEx Field, 1600 Fedex Way, Greater Landover, MD 20785
- Washington Wizards (NBA): Capital One Arena, 601 F St. NW, Washington, DC 20004
- Washington Nationals (MLB): Nationals Park, 1500 S Capitol St. SE, Washington, DC 20003
- Washington Capitals (NHL): Capital One Arena, 601 F St. NW, Washington, DC 20004
- DC United (MLS): Audi Field, 100 Potomac Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20024
Colleges and universities
Washington, DC, is home to several prominent universities and institutions of higher learning. Four DC-based schools — Georgetown, George Washington, Howard, and American — play at least one sport in the NCAA’s Division I. However, because of the prohibitions on college wagering in the district, you will need to visit sportsbooks in Virginia or Maryland if you want to bet on one of these colleges.
Legal betting options in Washington, DC, in 2026
To legally bet on sports online in DC, you must be 18 or older and use one of the apps listed above. Any other site you find that accepts bettors from DC but is not listed here is not a legal online sports betting option. Illegal sites are based offshore and come with several risks, not the least of which are safety and security.
There are no casinos in the district, so all wagering must take place either via an online sportsbook or a licensed retail location.
Washington, DC, sports betting timeline
2026
theScore Bet, the rebranded successor to ESPN Bet, exits the DC market on Feb. 23, ending its run in the district. The DC Council holds a hearing in May on a bill to legalize online casino gaming while banning unlicensed sweepstakes platforms, but the bill stalls in committee.
bet365 Sportsbook launches Sept. 8, becoming DC’s sixth active online sportsbook through a partnership with Monumental Sports & Entertainment.
2025
PENN Entertainment launches ESPN Bet in DC in January, bringing the district back to its full complement of seven online sportsbooks.
Meanwhile, retail betting takes a hit as FanDuel closes its Audi Field sportsbook in February and BetMGM shutters its Nationals Park location in September, though both companies keep their online apps running in DC. ESPN Bet rebrands nationwide to theScore Bet in December.
2024
The DC Lottery announces FanDuel as the new sports betting platform available throughout the district, replacing GambetDC. FanDuel officially takes over the district’s main sportsbook on April 15.
The sports betting industry expands in July with the passage of a new city budget. The addition of Class C sports betting licenses allows the industry to accommodate up to seven online sportsbooks. BetMGM and Caesars immediately join FanDuel in offering sports betting across DC. DraftKings launches a few days later.
2023
An ownership group including Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils owner Josh Harris and Magic Johnson bought the Washington Commanders from longtime owner Dan Snyder for a record $6.05 billion. After the sale, speculation began that the team could move to a new stadium or city. Some expect the team to change its name again, even if it stays in the Washington, DC, area.
The District of Columbia passed a budget that takes away annual funding for problem gambling.
2021
DC sports betting continues to grow in 2021. A third online sportsbook, BetMGM, opens its virtual doors for business in June 2021, putting extra heat on the market — particularly regarding GambetDC.
GambetDC remains steadfastly committed to its questionable pricing and practices, even in the face of an independent audit suggesting major changes are in order. Its only effort to arrest its poor performance comes in the form of kiosks that the DC Lottery places at four restaurants around the district.
Meanwhile, Grand Central Restaurant & Bar becomes the first Class B licensee to open an on-site sports betting DC when it debuts its betting window and kiosks in October 2021.
2020
GambetDC becomes the first legal sportsbook of any kind in Washington, DC, when it launches in May 2020. Planners were hoping to launch the site two months prior. Still, a persistent dearth of sporting events due to the pandemic — including the cancellation of March Madness 2020 — made the debut untenable. Almost immediately, observers note that GambetDC’s advertised lines are high — to the point of being noncompetitive.
Thus, when William Hill (later Caesars Sportsbook) opened its retail book at Capital One Arena in July 2020, it quickly became the market leader despite its in-person requirement. It also renders Capital One Arena as the first professional sports stadium to have a sportsbook on its premises. William Hill then followed up the debut of its retail operation with the launch of its mobile app in December 2020, marking the first direct competition with GambetDC.
2019
Mayor Muriel Bowser wastes little time and signs off on the bill in January 2019. Due to the unique governmental structure of Washington, DC, the bill must also receive approval from the US Congress to become law in the district. After its transmission and discussion at the federal level, sports betting became legal in the capital in May 2019.
2018
The fall of PASPA in May led many states to consider legalizing sports betting. DC, though not a state, follows suit when Councilman Jack Evans introduces B22-0944, the Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018, to the DC City Council for its consideration. The bill calls for the legalization of both online and retail sports betting and establishes the DC Lottery as both the chief purveyor of mobile wagering and the industry regulator. After due consideration and the attachment of three amendments, the bill was passed to Bowser’s desk in December 2018.
DC sports betting FAQ
Is sports betting legal in DC?
Yes. Sports betting is both legal and active within the city limits of the District of Columbia.
Who oversees Washington, DC, sports betting?
The DC Lottery. The commission serves as the regulator for the district’s sports betting industry and maintains oversight of any new developments in DC sports betting.
Who can apply for a DC sports betting license?
Almost any business, but with significant restrictions. Only Class A and Class C license holders are allowed to have an online app that extends throughout the district. Every other type of business that wishes to offer sports betting can only do so on its own property. However, there is no restriction on the type of business that offers sports betting, so long as sports betting isn’t the only commerce that occurs on site.
How old do I have to be on-site to bet on sports in Washington, DC?
18. If you want to place a wager through one of DC’s sportsbook apps or in person, you need only be 18. However, individual retail operations may require patrons to be 21 if they serve alcohol.
Can you play daily fantasy sports in Washington, DC?
Yes. DraftKings and FanDuel, among other providers, actively provide daily fantasy sports contests to residents and visitors in the district. However, there is no explicit law that permits or prohibits DFS in Washington, DC, at this time. A search of proposed and passed legislation from the DC Council does not indicate much interest in ruling on daily fantasy sports contests, either.
Does DC have online sports betting?
Yes. Six sportsbook apps are active in DC right now: BetMGM, Fanatics, DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, and bet365 are all in service in the capital.